Cradle



F. W. PARKER April 10, 1951 CRADLE Filed Feb. 14, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Fi 'E'FLK Parker" IA @Z ax ATTORNEYS F. W. PARKER April 10, 1951 CRADLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 14, 1947 ATTORNEYS.

MN vw R 1 m I m 4 9 Mr 2/ E V v n P I a u m v v 5 4 6 m Th 1 m n W a M m u r D\/ m u n Y B A a w a 6 s D 7 6 L 4 w, f d s w Patented Apr. 10, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT F Pica 3 Claims.

This invention relates to convertible cradles.

An important object of the invention is to provide a novel cradle which may be converted readily into a bath tub and dressing table for infants. I

Another important object is to provide a cradle, the body portion of which may be readily detached from its support in order to adapt the body portion for suspension from suitable supports so that the bodyportion-may be employed, for example, as an infants bed, supported by two chairs, or as a berth in an automobile. Still another important object is to provide a cradle having a movable cover, adapted, when in one position, to arch over the cradle and, when in another position, to be slid out of the way. I

A furtherobject is to provide carrying means for the cradle body, which means has a second function. I

Another object is to provide a cradle having accessories associated therewith adapted to aid in the comfort of the occupant. w 1

,Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in connection with the I accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which drawings: I I I Figure 1 is a side elevation of the novel cradle.

Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical, transverse section, substantially on the line 33 of .Figure 1. Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section, illustrating a resilient suspension means for the body portion of the cradle.

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal section of the body portion, illustrating means for carrying the body portion. I I Figure 6 is an elevation of a hook means employed in aiding in suspending the body portion, as in Figure 7, I

Figure 7 shows the cradle in side elevation and suspended from a pair of supports employing, in part, the means of Figure 5. V

Figure 8 illustrates a coverlet hold-down means, associated with the new cradle.

Figure 9 shows the means in Figure 8 in use.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein similar reference characters designate I corresponding parts throughout the several views, the novel cradle is designated as A, the carrying and suspension means as B, while supports for the meansw B are designated as C, and hold-down means: desig-, nated as D. I

The novel cradle A comprises a body portion H3, slidable cover II for the body portion, support portioniz, resilient suspension means 13 for suspending the body portion from the support portion, false bottomw member 14 for the body portion, which also provides the dressing table top,.,when in another position, and means 15 supporting the member 14.

As may be seen, particularly in Figure 3, the body portion it is arcuate in'transverse section and comprises a side wall 20, having an outer surface 2!, with the side wall joined by end walls 22 and 23=preferably having circular edges. This construction provides a compartment; 24: which is adapted to hold the occupant, andv is defined by the side wall 29 and portions of the end walls 22 and 23'. Each end wall is provided with a like arcuate cover edge-receiving groove 25in its surface facing the surface of theopposite end walls, and eachend wall may be provided with suitable cut-outs 28 inwardly of the grooves 25. p v

'It is. preferred to provide a water-tight joint of the walls 20, 22 and 23, which may; be of hardened plastic material, metal, or other suit able material. A discharge valve is shown at 2B. The, cover H is preferably of a suitable hardened plastic material. whichmay be; in whole or in part, transparent, is arcuate, so that its .end edges may be accommodated within the grooves 25. Theoparalleling side edges 30 of the cover H are spaced apart a distance greater than the width or the mouth of the compartment 24, so

as tocover this mouth,cwhen in one position and, when the cover is lowered it extends over a portion of the outer face 2| of the side wall 201 1 The support portion 1 2 of the cradle A is shown particularly in Figures 1 and- 2: and comprises a pair of substantially vertical end uprights 35 and a pair of cross members 36 joining the uprights. Each of the uprights 35 .preferab1y comprises a leg portion 31. and a ring-like or hooplike, upper portion 38 carried thereby. The inner periphery 39 of the upper portion 38 isof greater circumference than that of either end wall 22 or 23, so that the end walls, when the body portion IB is supported by the supportportion [2, will be spaced from this inner periphery; The cross members 36 preferably converge upwardly and joinone another adjacent the lowermost portion of the periphery of the wall 2|.v

As may be seen, particularly in. Figures 3 and 4, the resilient suspension means |3 for suspending the body portion II) from the support portion I2, comprises a plurality of retraction coil springs 45. Preferably there are four such springs associated with each end of the body portion I0. Each spring extends from the inner periphery 39 to the body portion adjacent an end wall 22 or 23, as the case may be, and may be detachably secured thereto, as by the use of eyed members 4I projecting therefrom and cooperating with the hooked ends 42 of the springs 40 and their opposite ends may be secured to the uprights 36 in any approved way. In the example shown, there are four springs 46, substantially equally spaced apart'and with their longitudinal axes extending radially of the body portion ID for each end of the latter. From this arrangement it is now apparent that the body portion is resiliently suspended from the support portion I2 but may be detached therefrom. Of course, this suspension permits various movements of the body portion with respect to the support portion.

In order to provide a flat supporting surface for a mattress or similar device, the member I4 is provided, and shown in full lines in Figure 3. This member is preferably a solid sheet of suitable material, as rigid hardened plastic extending from closely adjacent the end walls 22 and 23 .and engaging the side wall as shown in Figure 3 where the side edges of the member I I are arcuate to meet, in a face-to-face relationship, the arcuate inner face of the wall 20. When not functioning as a false bottom for the body portion or as a mattress or like support, the member I4 functions as a dressing table top, as shown in dots-and-dashes, in Figure 3, and which function will be described subsequently.

Means I5 supporting the member I4 is shown mostly in Figure 3 both in full lines and in dots and dashes. This. means includes four links (two spaced-apart links, or one pair, at each end of the member 14). One link 45 of each pair is pivotally connected at its upper end to the end wall22 and the other link 46 is likewise connected to the end wall 23 at the walls inner faces and adjacent the upper ends of these'walls, to one side of the vertical medial lines thereof, as in Figure 3. The opposite or lower ends of the links 45 are pivotally connected to the member I4 at its end edges. However, the other two links 46 are pivotally connected to the end walls 22 and 23 and member I4 so that one like pivotal connection of each may be manually disconnected. This may be effected by providing a conventional headed pivot pin 41 for each upper end portion of each link 46, constructed and arranged to fit into a conventional key hole slot 48 (one being shown in Figure 4) each end wall 22 and 23, but the lower pivotal connections (between the links 46 and false bottom I4) are fixed. Consequently, when the links 46 are detached from the endwalls 22 and 23, as is now obvious, member I4 may'be removed from the compartment 24, by tilting the member I4, as upon pulling the links 46 upwardly, whereupon the member I4 may be withdrawn and swung on the pivotal connections of the links 45 to the dot-and-dash per-- tion in Figure 3 and full-line portion of Figure The links 46 may now be swung downwardly, on their pivotal connections with the member I4, and the pivots 41 inserted into suitable key-hole slots 49 (shown in Figure 3) in the ring-like upper portions of the two end uprights 35. This will support the member I4 horizontally in a rigid dressing table top-functioning position.

' It will be noted in Figure 3, that there is associated with this member I4 a depending bracket 50, extending longitudinally thereof and supporting a suitable carrier 51 for a roll of paper, cloth or the like, adapted to be spread over the upper face of the member I4 when it functions as a dressing table top. In addition, one end wall may support a socket 52 for an electric lamp or heating unit with suitable conductors 53 for electric current connected therewith, and terminating in an electric plug 54.

As will be seen'in dots-and-dashes in Figure 3, the member I4 extends to and rests upon the edge of the wall 26.

The carrier and suspension means B, shown particularly in Figures 5, 6 and 7, for the body portion II! of the cradle A, includes a pair of elongated members 55. Each member 55 may be fashioned from a length of springy rod formed intermediate its ends in a narrow handle or hookreceiving portion 56 from which the rod diverges, forming arms 51 terminating in hooks 58 for hooking through eyed portions 59 carried by the member I4 or eyed portions 60 carried by the end walls 22 and 23. Associated with the two elongated members 55 are two hook members 6|, each havin one end hook 62 to hook under a hook-receiving portion 56 and another hook 53 over a suitable support, such as C.

When the hooks 58 engage the eyed portions 59, two of which extend upwardly from each end of the inner face of the member I4, and the two members 55 converge upwardly, as inrFigure 5, the hooked fingers of a hand may be extended about the portions 56, after the springs 40 are uncoupled from the body portion I0, and the latter carried about as desired. It will be seen the member I4 will not sway. However, when it is de sired to sling or support the body portion ID as in Figure 7 from two stationary supports C, the hook members 6| are employed, as is obvious.

In Figures 8 and 9 is shown the hold-down means D. This includes a suitable length of resilient wire or rod, joined into a bight portion 65 and arm portions 66 extending therefrom in substantial parallelism and terminating in hooks 67. Associated therewith are two eyed members 59 extending upwardly from the upper face of the member I4 at one end of the latter. The holddown means is constructed and arranged to have the hooks 6T sprung into the eyed portions 59 as is clear in Figure 9, and the bight and arm portions 65 and 66 extend over the coverlet above the occupant in order to retain the former in place. It is now obvious, too, that this holddown means D may be employed to retain in place the paper, cloth or the like, unrolled from the roll mentioned and disposed upon the member I4 when the latter is serving as a dressing table top.

From the foregoin it will be seen that a novel device is provided, constructed and arranged to function as a cradle (when suspended by the resilient means I3 from the support portion I2), as a bath tub and dressing table (with the member I4 swung to the dot-and-dash position in Figure 3) or as a stationary bed (as shown in Figure 7) for travelling, etc. The cover I I when raised provides protection for the occupant. The dual functions of the means B are possible by the shape of the elongated members 55 and the disposition of the eyed members 59 and 60, coupled with the use, in one case, of the hook members 6 I.

Various changes may be made to the form of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the claims.

I claim: 1. In a convertible cradle and bath tub with dressing table top, a water-tight body portion their other ends by said body portion, the pivotal connections, of one link of each pair of links, with said body portion being a detachable connection.

2. In a convertible cradle and bath tub with dressing table top, a Water-tight body portion defining an upwardly-opening body-receiving compartment a support portion, including two spaced apart uprights; resilient means detachably secured to one of said portions and secured to the other portion; support means, comprising a sheet of rigid material, when positioned Within said body portion, providing a false bottom for the body portion and, when positioned exteriorly of said body portion, providing a dressing table top, means pivotally supporting said sheet in both of said positions, including pairs of links pivotally carried at one of their ends by said sheet and pivotally carried at their other ends by said body portion, the pivotal connections, of one link of each pair of links, with said body portion being a detachable connection, and means, carried by said support portion to receive and retain the detached ends of said links, when said sheet is in its dressing table top position.

3. In combination with a bed body having end Walls and a side Wall definin an upwardly-opening body-receiving compartment and spaced apart eyed members extending from said end Walls and spaced apart eyed members extending into said compartment, carrying and suspension means for said body comprising a pair of elongated members, each having a narrow hook-receiving portion and resilient arm portions extending therefrom, and hooks carried by said arm portion constructed and arranged to hook into said first spaced apart eyes when said means is Wholly exteriorly of said bed body and project from said compartment when said hooks are hooked into said last-named eyes, with said elongated members extending upwardly of said body portion.

FRANK W. PARKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 4, 1937 

